The Kosgoda turtle hatchery (Sanctuary) is a must see when in the Southern province of Sri Lanka. There are a number of turtle hatcheries located along the coast of Sri Lanka, including Galle, Bentota and Hikkaduwa apart from this one. A visit to this turtle sanctuary is one of the best things to do in Unawatuna.
Location
The sanctuary is located in the address No 13/A Galle road, Mahapalena, Kosgoda. This is within the easy reach of beach hotels in the southern province such as Cantaloupe Levels. The premises are open from 8.30 am to 6.30pm every day.
Administration
This is a sustainable turtle conservation joint, run by Sri Lankan citizens owned by a friendly local named Dudley. It is quite significant that International volunteers are part of the project thus will be helping out in the sanctuary throughout the year.
What to expect
You may walk around the huge tanks with hatchlings and turtles of various sizes before they are released into the sea. You maybe be able to be part of the turtle release after sunset.
Turtle release
This is done every day during twilight. The staff would pick the ones they believe is fit to survive in the natural environment and then placed in small buckets before they are released into the sea. The best place to visit the hatchery is after 6, to catch the release and egg hatching if you are lucky.
Roland Lefevre is a travel writer who specializes in creating features on leisure as well as business travel destinations across the globe.
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